New shop mural brings a bit of Paris to Kildare

REGULARS at Armelle's Kitchen patisserie in Kilcullen are used to a French ambience in the cakes and macarons for which she is famous, but that has recently been enhanced with a Paris-themed mural on the back wall, thanks to a local young woman who intends to build a career on such artwork. 

The Parisian outdoor cafe scene is appropriate for France-born Armelle Soimboing, who has spent the past 14 years developing her own unique shop in the town.

The artist, Madalina Cîrlig, 20, has an artistic talent refined during secondary school in Naas, to where her parents moved from Moldova when Madalina was seven.

 Instead of following the traditional route through third-level art after finishing at St Mary's College, Madalina decided to apply her skills directly to the marketplace. 

Her first job involved designing tattoos, but she found it wasn't quite her scene, so she left that behind and now focuses on the "big canvases" of murals. 

"This allows me to provide art representing a business's brand," she says. "I've built a portfolio of art and designs over the years, but for this kind of work, people want to see actual murals. I've been very fortunate to have this commission from Armelle, which is in such a public place."

Armelle had a drawing of a Parisian cafe with outdoor tables and suggested Madalina draw inspiration from it. The artist expanded on that idea, creating a piece that hints at the City of Light with cherry blossom trees, a table for two with an umbrella, and a section of the iconic Eiffel Tower in the background. 

A steaming cup of coffee beside a packet of macarons on the table suggests a diner just stepped away for a moment.

The overall effect is very three-dimensional, making the shop appear larger. 

Part of Madalina's magic with the piece was not overloading details. 

"The wall is not that big, and if you put in too much detail close up, it could look blotched and blurry. This way, viewers can imagine what's beyond the foreground."

Now living in Riverside Manor in Kilcullen, Madalina notes that murals like this are very popular in other European countries and sees potential to develop them here. 

"I have proposals with other cafés in Kilcullen and Naas, so hopefully they will bring me more work."

And more exposure. An advantage of having your work displayed in public commercial spaces is that passersby, going about their daily routines, don't have to go out of their way to visit a gallery to see your art. A win-win for everyone.